Fenugreek sprouts are the shoots of the trigonella foenum-graecum plant. This herb is purported have many health benefits. It contains many vitamins and nutrients including vitamin C, iron, calcium, and protein. It can be eaten alone or as a seasoning in a variety of dishes.

The majority of the world’s fenugreek plants are grown in India. These sprouts are complemented by many Indian spices such as cumin or curry powder. The sprouts can be used as greens in a salad along with other vegetables and greens. It can also act as a tasty topping on a sandwich, or sprinkled over rice. Fenugreek sprouts have a distinctly bitter taste. This can be counteracted with flavors like garlic

Fenugreek is used as an ingredient in several international dishes. It can be found in the Arabian dish saltah, the Afghan dish sholeh holba, and ghormeh sabzi, an Iranian specialty.

One of the best known benefits of fenugreek sprouts is their ability to increase the milk supply of breastfeeding women. While this herb is widely used by postpartum women, it should not be eaten by anyone who is pregnant. It should only be used to increase milk supply after one has given birth. Women who choose to use fenugreek as way to treat problems with their milk supply should consult their doctors to ensure safety of use.

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These sprouts may have a whole host of other health benefits as well. It is believed to cleanse the blood and lymph nodes. Through these actions, it is said to strengthen the overall immune system, making the individual more resistant to diseases.

Many symptoms of the common cold such as sore throat, runny nose, and congestion may respond favorably to the addition of fenugreek sprouts in the diet. Other respiratory conditions such as asthma, pneumonia, and emphysema are purportedly eased by fenugreek as well.

Fenugreek can be sprouted easily at home by anyone in possession of the seeds of this plant. The best condition for sprouting these seeds is a moist environment with a temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). The seeds will sprout in four to six days and can be stored for three to four weeks.

The sprouts are not the only part of the fenugreek plant that is commonly eaten. Fenugreek seeds may also be used in a variety of recipes. Whole seeds are often used in Indian pickles. The seeds can also be powdered and used a spice for everything from curry powders to butter.

Discuss this Article

ahainPost 3

Fenugreek is indeed a great herb to take for increasing breast milk production. My sister took it after having her first child.

Small chests run in our family, and it was hard for my sister to start lactating, even with persistent pumping and other methods. Frustrated, she looked up supplements to take for nursing problems,and fenugreek popped up.

According to the information that my sister read on the subject, fenugreek increases breast milk production by a whopping nine hundred percent -- nine hundred! -- if you take it in supplement form.

I don't know if the sprouts have a similar effect or not, but I would give it a try if you're having trouble lactating. I know when I have my first child, the family small-chestedness isn't going to go away, so I'll be taking fenugreek.

gimbellPost 2

@Hawthorne - While it's true that fenugreek can give you a strong immune system boost, your problem sounds more like a food allergy to me. Food allergies come in milder forms than having your face puff up, getting hives or any of the other well-known symptoms; when you get milder symptoms like too much mucus, it is called a food sensitivity.

Taking fenugreek probably wouldn't hurt you if you still want to, of course. Go ahead and try it, and if your symptoms go away, then I'm happy for you! If they don't, though, I'd advise going in to see the doctor about food allergies.

HawthornePost 1

Very interesting. I wonder if the processed fenugreek seeds are associated with the same health benefits and precautions for pregnant women as the fresh kind? If so, pregnant women should probably avoid Indian pickles and curry powders!

I might try sprouting some of these seeds sometime. I have a persistent urge to clear my throat that I think is related to lingering germs from a bad cold I got last winter. The rest of the symptoms took months to go away, but finally have. The throat-clearing, however, is still here, complete with too much mucus in the back of my throat. Maybe fenugreek sprouts will help with it.

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